Seating

Stumps or small garden mats for sitting on make for good weather-appropriate sitting arrangements.

Seal Rossignol, Center for an Ecology-Based Economy (CEBE)

Cardboard boxes are a low-cost seating option for students. They are free, easy to carry, and cardboard squares are good for sit-spots.

Grace Jacobs, MSAD 35

Bags

Students love a satchel for hands-free exploration (can be made with a zip bag). Sometimes teachers can bring a crate or bag outside to hold materials or clipboards until they're needed. Also, it is always a good idea to bring extra materials so that if someone forgets something, you don't have to go back inside to get it.

Erica Beck Spencer, FOSS, Lawrence Hall of Science; University of California, Berkeley

Individual learning kits: Drawstring bag, clipboard, writing utensil, hats/gloves/snow pants-as needed

Brooke Teller/Portland Public Schools

Clothes

Having some dollar-store fleece hats in case kids get cold is useful (they never wear them, but knowing they are an option, will keep them from complaining or remind them to bring their own.)

Erica Beck Spencer, FOSS, Lawrence Hall of Science; University of California, Berkeley

We bring gloves, hats, jackets, bog boots (covered in a grant from bog boots), rain jackets/ ponchos every time we visit a classroom so students can be comfortable while learning outdoors, and are encouraged to go outside whatever the weather (especially fun in the rain).

Alanna Doughty, Lakes Environmental Association

Snacks/Water

Easy to bring water outside in reused 2-L soda bottles, perhaps for drinking, but also for science exploration.

Erica Beck Spencer, FOSS, Lawrence Hall of Science; University of California, Berkeley

Funding/Where to source materials

This year we received donations from board members, Patagonia and a local ski shop of extra outdoor used gear for students to borrow while outside.

Alanna Doughty, Lakes Environmental Association

The Boston Schoolyard Initiative greened 88 schoolyards across the district and put in many outdoor classrooms. They’ve created a list of items that have withstood the test of time in urban schoolyards and shared them on their website under “Schoolyard Design Guide.” They have other resources for teachers on their website.

http://schoolyards.org/design.overview.html

Erica Beck Spencer, FOSS, Lawrence Hall of Science; University of California, Berkeley

Other Learning Materials

Material buckets: Measuring tapes both 100 ft/meter and shorter tapes, saw, hammer, tags for trees, tree/leaf, plant and animal track charts to identify species, stakes, twine or tree ribbon, thermometers, ways to take pictures.

Susan Morris, Berwick Academy

Appropriate gear for all weather; smallish clipboards, head nets for bug protection in spring/early summer.

Seal Rossignol, Center for an Ecology-Based Economy (CEBE)

Buckets and outdoor wifi.

Paul Clifford/King Middle School

Number tools to match group number; keep everything in a bucket ( I use heavy-duty feed buckets from the farm supply store--durable and a good size for kids)

Tie brightly colored flagging tape to field tools in case they get dropped, which is bound to happen; have a list of the materials that should be in each bucket so they can check before they leave their field site/have them hold up each item as you call them out before leaving the field site

Homemade clipboards can be made from heavy-duty cardboard and a big rubber band or two; make a hole on one of the long sides to tie a long string with a pencil on the other end; binder clips can also be attached to the long sides instead of rubber bands. Put clipboards in large plastic bags with the open end on the bottom so kids can still record data if it rains or are near water sites

Genevieve Trafelet, Sanford High School

Technology can be used as a powerful tool for outdoor learning. Encourage students to use their phones as a tool for identification.

• App Suggestion: Merlin Bird ID from Cornell Lab of Ornithology

• Easy Macro lenses can also be a great tool for microscopic views that students love

Sharon Gallant, Gardiner Area High School

Boundaries

Consider marking boundaries with property marking flags (they stick in-ground and won't blow away) or natural boundaries--can expand the boundaries as kids get more comfortable with outdoor exploration.

Erica Beck Spencer, FOSS, Lawrence Hall of Science; University of California, Berkeley

Delineating the classroom space is important for safety and setting the tone for work time outdoors v. recess time.

Brooke Teller, Portland Public Schools

Set up boundaries and review expectations every time you head out. As students learn to be outdoors in a learning context (vs recess), start with short ventures so they get used to expectations and being outside. The first time you head out, give yourself a break and experience it without activity/ learning expectations. Students will constantly check those boundaries.

Alanna Doughty, Lakes Environmental Association

We spray-painted socially distanced circles out in Deering Oaks at the beginning of the school year. We also divided a large section of the park up into six zones - one for each team so that teams could manage their own zone.

Paul Clifford, King Middle School

Safety Information for Students/Home/School

Send some kind of information home about the importance of tick checks, post exploration.

Erica Beck Spencer, FOSS, Lawrence Hall of Science; University of California, Berkeley

We bring a first aid backpack and have contact with the office (let them know when we're leaving and when we're back).

Alanna Doughty, Lakes Environmental Association

Start by brainstorming with kids how we can keep the land, each other, and ourselves safe when we are learning outdoors; have clear visual boundaries; establish safe practices with students around sledding down hills, interacting with the environment (i.e., handling small creatures, treatment of live trees)

Seal Rossignol, Center for an Ecology-Based Economy (CEBE)

Appointing Outdoor Leaders

Set expectations, engage extra adults if possible, appoint student safety managers.

Susan Morris/Berwick Academy

It is always helpful to have an extra adult especially for bathroom needs--bringing students back to the building

Brooke Teller, Portland Public Schools

I am formulating the idea and plans of helping to create "Outdoor Volunteer Corps" at schools- parent or community volunteers who get "trained" in helping to supervise outdoor learning- to be a 2nd set of eyes for safety, management, and to encourage engagement of students when being led by their classroom teacher.

Seal Rossignol, Center for an Ecology-Based Economy (CEBE)

Assign jobs to kids before going out 1) lab manager- keeps group on task, reads directions 2) field tech(s)- completes the activities and makes sure all the equipment is brought out and back 3) data manager- repeats and records the data collected by the field tech 4) historian- takes pictures, makes drawings of the field site, writes summary of what was done by the group and by whom, etc.

Genevieve Trafelet, Sanford High School

Expectations/First Explorations

Especially some of our refugee population will find discomfort with being outdoors. These students may need to stay next to a trusted classmate or teacher to feel safer. Starting with short explorations first is important--and build from there in length and distance from the school building.

Erica Beck Spencer, FOSS, Lawrence Hall of Science; University of California, Berkeley

Teachers did some pre-teaching on what it would be like going outside and how to handle things like bees and other critters. Sometimes it helps to go slowly, to acclimate to going outdoors a little bit at a time.

Brooke Teller, Portland Public Schools

There is a wide range of comfort outdoors in rural Maine, some students have grown up hunting and fishing, some play outdoors often, some have parents who are scared of the outdoors and have passed that on to kiddos, and others might have cultural or place-based uncertainty (a student moved from Florida and was nervous about poisonous snakes.) We do a lot of circle work and check-ins before and after our experiences outside. If I feel like they're uncomfortable I might share a story to get us going.

Alanna Doughty, Lakes Environmental Association

I think laying the foundation by brainstorming all of our fears (as a classroom) or concerns with going outside and then addressing each one with the students; using their input to come up with strategies for dealing with things that may cause discomfort; also by reassuring them about what will happen if they get hurt or "lost" so they understand what they should do and what the teachers will do. One way to start the whole discussion is by asking the 3 questions: What is wonderful about outdoor learning? What do we need to pay attention to and be mindful of? How will we keep the land, each other and ourselves safe?

Seal Rossignol, Center for an Ecology-Based Economy (CEBE)

Prior to going outdoors, we did an informal survey with the students asking at prior outdoor experiences and potential concerns around allergies.

Paul Clifford, King Middle School

Give an explanation of what is outside, how you will get there, the clothes to wear.

Susan Morris/Berwick Academy

Give directions/demonstrate how to use the tools to the class before giving out materials and going in to the field

Genevieve Trafelet, Sanford High School

Partnering Up

Buddy up students feeling insecure with someone they feel secure with or with the teacher and any other adult. Try to give them a positive experience and build from there if possible.

Susan Morris, Berwick Academy

If a student is particularly uncomfortable they might stay next to me or have a buddy for the excursion.

Alanna Doughty, Lakes Environmental Association

Have kids walk 2 by 2 to the site and give them questions to discuss, quiz them on the activity procedures, how to use the tools, what the roles are of people, I notice/I wonder/It reminds me of… to practice observation skills

Genevieve Trafelet, Sanford High School

Expect that your students may be really excited to go outside for learning. They may be louder, they may be scared, they may be a little nervous which comes across in unusual ways. Expect this. Some may be so disconnected from the natural world that this is a novel experience; one they will become more comfortable with over time. Take a sense-making pedagogical stance with students, especially important with our minority populations, asking questions for deeper understanding about statements or observations they make. Typically most students will want to be outside for learning often, just guide students towards understanding the behavioral expectations and hold them to that while remembering that their joy is enthusiasm towards the wonders of nature.

Erica Beck Spencer/FOSS, Lawrence Hall of Science; University of California, Berkeley